Apparatus for water basketball game



p 30,1969 J.A.S|NDEL.AR 3,469,844

APPARATUS FOR WATER BASKETBALL GAME Filed Oct. 14, 1966 WW emf/ r///0r// 5.

United States Patent 3,469,844 APPARATUS FOR WATER BASKETBALL GAME JamesA. Sindelar, Brookfield, Ill., assignor to Sindelar Water BasketballCo., Brookfield, 11]., a partnership of Illinois Filed Oct. 14, 1966,Ser. No. 586,827 Int. Cl. A63b 63/00 US. Cl. 273-105 8 Claims ABSTRACTOF THE DISCLOSURE A water basketball apparatus comprising an annularflotation ring, preferably formed by an inflatable tube, and abasketball hoop supported on the flotation ring. There are a pluralityof generally equally spaced support members extending upwardly from theflotation ring which are secured to and support the basketball hoop attheir upper ends. The generally equally spaced support members havelower ends which cooperate with straps to secure the support members tothe flotation ring.

This invention relates to an apparatus for playing a water sport, forexample water basketball or the like.

A primary purpose of the invention is an apparatus of the type describedwhich is simple in construction, rugged and easily assembled.

Another purpose is a water sport apparatus including a flotation ring,and a hoop, supported above and in spaced relation to the flotation ringfor use in playing water basketball or the like.

Another purpose is a water sport apparatus in which a hoop is supportedby a plurality of generally equally spaced support members secured toand resting upon an inner support surface of a flotation ring.

Other purposes will appear in the ensuing specification, drawings andclaims.

The invention is illustrated diagrammatically in the following drawingswherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective of the apparatus disclosed herein,

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 1,with the net removed, and

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged section illustrating the connection between thehoop and the support members.

In FIGURE 1, a flotation ring is indicated at and, for example, may bean inflatable rubber tube or the like. The invention should not belimited to any particular type of flotation ring as there are manyplastics, for example foam polyurethane or foam polystyrene, which mayprovide a satisfactory flotation ring. The ring 10 may be inflatable orsolid, rubber or a rubber substitute, for example vinyl. What isimportant is to have a large annulus, for example of the order of fourfeet in outside diameter, which will float high upon the water so as toprovide a firm base for the apparatus described herein.

Extending upwardly from the flotation ring 10 are a plurality of supportmembers 12, which as shown herein, may be metal rods or the like. Theremay be three such rods, or there may be more or less, and it ispreferred that they be generally equally spaced about the circumferenceof the ring 10. Each of the supports 12 may have a lower end 14, whichhas a generally closed loop or closed opening 16. There may be aplurality of straps 18, one for each support member, which extend aboutthe ring 10 and pass through the opening 16 to secure the supportmembers to the ring 10. It is important that the lower ends of thesupport members be inside of or at least on the downwardly extendinginner curved surface of the ring 10 so that there is support for themembers 12 both in an upward direction and also in an outward direction.

3,469,844 Patented Sept. 30., 1969 For example, if the lower ends of thesupport members 12 were right at the top of the ring 10, there might bea tendency for the entire apparatus mounted on the ring 10 to shift.Also, if the support members were outside of the top center of the ring10, there might be a tendency for the entire apparatus mounted on thering 10 to shift. Also, if the support members were outside of the topcenter of the ring 10, there might be a tendency for the entlreapparatus to shift. In any event, it is preferred to have the supportmembers 12 positioned and seated on the ring 10 in a manner to provideboth horizontal and vertical support.

The upper ends of each of the support member 12 may be threaded, as at20. There may be a hoop 22, which may be a basketball hoop, and whichhas a plurality, in this case three, downwardly and outwardly extendingsockets 24, welded or otherwise connected to the lower edge of the hoop22. The internal surface of the sockets 24 are threaded for matingengagement with the threaded ends 20 of the rods 12. In this way, theremay be a secure connection between the rods and the hoop which theysupport. The threaded connection between the hoop and its support alsoprovide adjustment of the supports 12 until the proper anglerelationship between the ring, supports and hoop have been obtained.There may be a net 26, as is conventional in basketball, which net isfastened to the lower edge of the hoop by brackets or the like 28.

There may be a plurality, in this case three, cords 30 which have loopsthrough which the straps 18 pass for use in securing the outer ends ofthe cords 30 to the ring 10. The inner ends of the cords 30 are allfastened together, as at 32, and there may be an anchor rope 34connected at the point 32. An anchor .36 may be on the opposite end ofthe anchor cord 34. The anchor is not necessary in every application butis desirable to keep the entire apparatus in a particular location ineither a pool, a section of a lake, pond, river or the like.

The invention should not be limited to any particular materials forforming any of the members. Although an inflatable rubber tube has beenfound to be satisfactory and practical, other types of flotation ringsmay be used. In like manner, the material forming the straps may vary,although plastic coated straps have been found to be satisfactory asthey prevent stretching once the strap becomes Wet. A polyethylene netis also advantageous in that it will not deteriorate as rapidly as woulda cotton or cord net. The hoop, naturally, is of metal, although it maybe otherwise, and the support members 12 are preferably metal rods sothat their ends may be threaded and so that they may help to support ina rugged and wearable manner the hoop 22. The invention should not belimited to a basketball hoop nor use of the apparatus in a basketballgame. The structure obviously has other water sport uses.

Whereas the preferred form of the invention has been shown and describedherein, it should be realized that there are many modifications,substitutions and alterations thereto within the scope of the followingclaims.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus for playing a water sport, an annular flotation ring,a plurality of generally equally spaced support members extendingupwardly and inwardly from said ring, means individually securing thelower end of each of said support members to said. flotation ring,including a plurality of straps, with each support member having agenerally closed opening at its lower end which cooperates with a strapfor securing the support members to the flotation ring, and a hoop fixedto the upper ends of said support members, said hoop being of a size andshape to pass a ball for use in a water sport.

2. The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that said annularflotation ring is an inflatable tube.

3. The structure of claim 1 further characterized by and including aplurality of cords, one attached to each strap, with said cordsextending generally toward the center of said flotation ring, and ananchor attached to said cords for use in holding said flotation ring ina particular location.

4. The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that said hoop is abasketball hoop, and a net attached to and hanging downwardly from saidhoop.

5. The structure of claim 1 further characterized by and including aplurality of downwardly and outwardly extending sockets fixed to saidhoop, there being a socket for each of said support members, with asupport member being fastened to and extending within each of saidsockets.

6. The structure of claim further characterized in that the upper endsof each of said support members are threaded, with the interior of eachof said sockets having mating threads for use in attaching the supportmembers to the sockets.

7. The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that said flotationring has a generally circular cross section, the lower ends of saidsupport members being seated 4 upon and being supported by an innergenerally downwardly extending curved surface of said flotation ring. 8.The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that the innerdiameter of said flotation ring is greater than the diameter of saidhoop.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,014,723 12/ 1961 Butler.

3,134,594 5/1964 Crowley 273l05 3,350,097 10/1967 Chevrette et al.2731.5X

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,021,283 11/1952 France.

OTHER REFERENCES Playthings, vol. 62, No. 7, July 1964, p. 168. ArgoIndustries Corp., Catalogue, Mar. 10, 1965.

ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner MAX R. PAGE, Assistant Examiner

